French Court Convicts Lafarge and Syrian Intermediaries for Financing ISIS

A Paris criminal court has delivered a landmark ruling against the French cement giant Lafarge, finding the company guilty of financing ISIS and other jihadist factions, including Al-Nusra Front, during the height of the Syrian conflict. The verdict also extends to the firm’s former chief executive, several senior officials, and two Syrian intermediaries who facilitated the illicit payments.

Millions Paid to Jihadist Groups

The court determined that Lafarge—now part of the Swiss conglomerate Holcim—transferred millions of dollars between 2013 and 2014 through its Syrian subsidiary, Lafarge Cement Syria, to armed groups and brokers in order to safeguard its sprawling cement plant in Jalabiya, northern Syria.

Presiding Judge Isabelle Prévost-Desprez underscored the gravity of the scheme, noting:

“This method of financing terrorist organizations, particularly ISIS, was essential in enabling the group to consolidate control over natural resources in Syria, which in turn funded terrorist operations in the region and those planned abroad, especially in Europe.”

The defendants include former CEO Bruno Lafont, five former operational and security executives, and two Syrian intermediaries. They face charges of financing terrorism and violating international sanctions.

The Case of Firas Tlass

In December, France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) argued that Lafarge’s actions were driven by a singular motive: profit. Prosecutors requested the maximum penalty for the company—€1.12 million in fines and the confiscation of €30 million in assets.

For Lafont, prosecutors sought a six-year prison sentence, asserting that he issued explicit instructions to keep the plant running despite the deteriorating security environment. Lafont maintains he had no knowledge of the payments.

According to PNAT, the total amount funneled to designated terrorist groups reached at least €4.7 million.

The prosecution also requested an eight-year sentence and a €225,000 fine for Syrian businessman Firas Tlass, accused of brokering deals between Lafarge and jihadist factions. Another intermediary, Amr Taleb, faces a proposed three-year sentence and a €60,000 fine, with arrest warrants issued for both men.

A Parallel U.S. Conviction

The French ruling follows Lafarge’s 2022 guilty plea in the United States for providing material support to terrorist organizations. The company agreed to pay a $778 million penalty, marking the first time a corporation had been criminally charged in the U.S. for aiding terrorism.

Lafarge had completed its $680 million Jalabiya plant in 2010, just before Syria descended into conflict. While most multinational firms withdrew from the country in 2012, Lafarge evacuated only its foreign staff, keeping Syrian employees on-site until ISIS seized the facility in September 2014. The company was accused of paying intermediaries in 2013 and 2014 to secure raw materials from ISIS and to guarantee safe passage for trucks and workers.

 

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.

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